Use of telemedicine in the European penitentiaries: current scenario and best practices

Gualano, Maria Rosaria; Bert, Fabrizio; Andriolo, Violetta; Grosso, Marco; Minniti, Davide; Siliquini, Roberta

doi:10.1093/eurpub/ckw145

Cited by 9 publications

(31 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…As such, utility was assessed positively in all the countries included in the study, with Finland evaluating it the highest, whereas Spain and Italy, although still positive, assessed it the lowest. These findings confirmed the cultural differences with regards to both the use of new technologies and the problem of suicide, since northern European countries had a more positive view of the use of new technologies than countries in the south of Europe [43]. This may be correlated to the degree of implementation of new technologies in each of the respective countries and their use in public health services.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 68%

Use of New Technologies in the Prevention of Suicide in Europe: An Exploratory Study

Muñoz−Sánchez¹,

Delgado²,

Sánchez-Prada³

et al. 2017

JMIR Ment Health

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BackgroundNew technologies are an integral component of today’s society and can complement existing suicide prevention programs. Here, we analyzed the use of new technologies in the prevention of suicide in 8 different European countries.ObjectiveThe aim of this paper was to assess the opinions of professionals in incorporating such resources into the design of a suicide prevention program for the region of Zamora in Spain. This investigation, encompassed within the European project entitled European Regions Enforcing Actions against Suicide (EUREGENAS), includes 11 regions from 8 different countries and attempts to advance the field of suicide prevention in Europe.MethodsUsing a specifically designed questionnaire, we assessed the opinions of 3 different groups of stakeholders regarding the use, frequency of use, facilitators, content, and format of new technologies for the prevention of suicide. The stakeholders were comprised of policy and public management professionals, professionals working in the area of mental health, and professionals related to the social area and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). A total of 416 participants were recruited in 11 regions from 8 different European countries.ResultsThe utility of the new technologies was valued positively in all 8 countries, despite these resources being seldom used in those countries. In all the countries, the factors that contributed most to facilitating the use of new technologies were accessibility and free of charge. Regarding the format of new technologies, the most widely preferred formats for use as a tool for the prevention of suicide were websites and email. The availability of information about signs of alarm and risk factors was the most relevant content for the prevention of suicide through the use of new technologies. The presence of a reference mental health professional (MHP) was also considered to be a key aspect. The countries differed in the evaluations given to the different formats suggesting that the cultural characteristics of the country should be taken into account.ConclusionsNew technologies are much appreciated resources; however they are not often underused in the field of suicide prevention. The results of this exploratory study show that new technologies are indeed useful resources and should be incorporated into suicide prevention programs.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 68%

Use of New Technologies in the Prevention of Suicide in Europe: An Exploratory Study

Muñoz−Sánchez¹,

Delgado²,

Sánchez-Prada³

et al. 2017

JMIR Ment Health

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“…51–52 Very few studies reported outright failures of telemedicine, 53–54 with most finding it offered equivalent or improved care quality 5,42,43,51,52,55–70 at an acceptable cost. 8,9,25,31,34,38,43,47,50,53,56–59,62,64,69…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…5,9,39,59,71,72,83,84,105,106,109,110,122,123 Telemedicine was seen, for the most part, to address these concerns and provide a convenient and low-stigma model for healthcare delivery. 9,37,39,59,71,72,83,84,105,106,109,110,122–124 In some instances it even offered a more conducive atmosphere for patient disclosure. 62,63,74…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Telemedicine consultations have been used in prisons worldwide to reduce inequities in healthcare access experienced by prisoners. 4–10 Numerous reports have been published demonstrating their effectiveness as a method of healthcare delivery in secure settings and a systematic review of cost effectiveness and outcomes 11 is underway. Despite good evidence of effectiveness, adoption in many countries has been limited to date.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Improving care quality with prison telemedicine: The effects of context and multiplicity on successful implementation and use

Edge¹,

Black²,

King³

et al. 2019

J Telemed Telecare

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Background Prison telemedicine can improve the access, cost and quality of healthcare for prisoners, however adoption in prison systems worldwide has been variable despite these demonstrable benefits. This study examines anticipated and realised benefits, barriers and enablers for prison telemedicine, thereby providing evidence to improve the chances of successful implementation. Methods A systematic search was conducted using a combination of medical subject headings and text word searches for prisons and telemedicine. Databases searched included: PubMed, Embase, CINAHL Plus, PsycINFO, Web of Science, Scopus and International Bibliography of the Social Sciences. Articles were included if they reported information regarding the use of/advocacy for telemedicine, for people residing within a secure correctional facility. A scoping summary and subsequent thematic qualitative analysis was undertaken on articles selected for inclusion in the review, to identify issues associated with successful implementation and use. Results One thousand, eight hundred and eighty-two non-duplicate articles were returned, 225 were identified for full text review. A total of 163 articles were included in the final literature set. Important considerations for prison telemedicine implementation include: differences between anticipated and realised benefits and barriers, differing wants and needs of prison and community healthcare providers, the importance of top-down and bottom-up support and consideration of logistical and clinical compatibility. Conclusions When implemented well, patients, prison and hospital staff are generally satisfied with telemedicine. Successful implementation requires careful consideration at outset of the partners to be engaged, the local context for implementation and the potential benefits that should be communicated to encourage participation.

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“…Telemedicine refers to the use of technology, including video link, to allow remote consultation for patients without the need for direct physical contact with local health services. Telemedicine consultations have been used in prisons worldwide to reduce inequities in healthcare access experienced by prisoners,5–11 most notably in the USA and Australia 12. There is a large body of evidence which demonstrates their effectiveness at improving the access and cost of healthcare provision in prisons 13.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using telemedicine to improve access, cost and quality of secondary care for people in prison in England: a hybrid type 2 implementation effectiveness study

et al. 2020

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IntroductionPeople in prison tend to experience poorer health, access to healthcare services and health outcomes than the general population. Use of video consultations (telemedicine) has been proven effective at improving the access, cost and quality of secondary care for prisoners in the USA and Australia. Implementation and use in English prison settings has been limited to date despite political drivers for change. We plan to research the implementation of a new prison-hospital telemedicine model in an English county to understand what factors drive or hinder implementation and whether the model can improve healthcare outcomes as demonstrated in other contextual settings.Methods and analysisWe will undertake a hybrid type 2 implementation effectiveness study to gather evidence on both clinical and implementation outcomes. Data collection will be guided by the theoretical constructs of Normalisation Process Theory. We will prospectively collect data through: (1) prisoner/patient focus groups, interviews and questionnaires, (2) prison healthcare, hospital and wider prison staff interviews and questionnaires, (3) routine quality improvement and service evaluation data. Up to four prisons and three hospital settings in Surrey (England) will be included in the telemedicine research, dependent on their telemedicine readiness during the study period. Prisons proposed include male and female prisoners, remand (not yet sentenced) and sentenced individuals and different security categorisations. In addition, focus groups in five telemedicine naïve prisons will provide information on patient preconceptions and concerns surrounding telemedicine.Ethics and disseminationThis study has received National Health Service Research Ethics Committee, Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service National Research Committee and Health Research Authority approval. Dissemination of results will take place through peer-reviewed journals, conferences and existing health and justice networks.

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Use of telemedicine in the European penitentiaries: current scenario and best practices

Abstract: Background: Telemedicine has demonstrated to improve access and quality of health services

Cited by 9 publications

References 25 publications

Use of New Technologies in the Prevention of Suicide in Europe: An Exploratory Study

Use of New Technologies in the Prevention of Suicide in Europe: An Exploratory Study

Improving care quality with prison telemedicine: The effects of context and multiplicity on successful implementation and use

Using telemedicine to improve access, cost and quality of secondary care for people in prison in England: a hybrid type 2 implementation effectiveness study

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